Reflections on an Interdisciplinary, Community-Based, Team-Taught Adventure

Abstract

A new team-taught course focused on interdisciplinary teaching and integrative learning was offered at Grand Valley State University during the Summer of 2008 at a regional campus in Holland, Michigan. Faculty from Engineering and Business developed this community-based, alternative-format course to engage students in the question: “What will the community look like in 10 years?” A unique, four-week-long course emerged: Socially Conscious Innovation. Given the nontraditional nature of the course, the faculty engaged a fellow faculty member and a campus administrator to solicit feedback in the following areas: course architecture, interdisciplinary team teaching, and community involvement. This article outlines the educational philosophies and guiding principles used in developing Socially Conscious Innovation, and provides a summary of faculty, administrator, and student feedback used to improve the course for the upcoming year.